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Trois Chansons de Charles d'Orléans, L99

Introduction

‘Caplet, vous n’êtes qu’un vilain’, comme disait Charles d’Orléans en parlant de L’Yver’—thus Debussy wrote in a letter to his friend André Caplet in 1908, some evidence, perhaps, that France’s great fifteenth-century poet was in his thoughts. In the same year he wrote the second of the Trois chansons, Nos 1 and 3 having been written earlier, in 1898. They were published as a set in 1909, Debussy himself conducting the première in Paris. A minor puzzle has always surrounded the solo in No 2: the published edition (presumably overseen by the composer) assigns it to a contralto, whereas the manuscript designates it for tenor, more appropriately since the speaker is clearly male. The three pieces make a varied and successful set; we can only regret that Debussy wrote no more for unaccompanied choir.

Lord, how fair you have made this good and gracious lady! Everyone is eager to praise her. Who could grow tired of her when her beauty is always fresh? Lord, how fair you have made this good and gracious lady!

I know no one in the wide world to compare with her; it is a dream to imagine so. Lord, how fair you have made this good and gracious lady!